The end of British seapower, taken off the deep end

The U.S. carrier John C. Stennis and the British Invincible-class carrier Illustrious, launched in 1982. // Airman Robert Baker

Our departed colleague Phil Ewing recently linked to a sobering Telegraph report on the enormous budget pressures facing the British fleet. Today’s Wall St. Journal takes a much cheekier view of the problem — specifically, as it relates to Britain’s apparent desire to continue funding two new STOVL-capable carriers, one already under construction, that won’t have new Brit-ready Joint Strike Fighters available to populate their decks for some years after they’re ready to go.

Check out Five Uses for Spare Aircraft Carriers. Alternative No. 1, turning them into floating youth clubs, would appear to be the best option, as No. 2, “Alternative to Heathrow third runway,” might pose some difficulties for commercial airliners attempting to land.

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Readers and commenters to this blog may shake our heads at the current state of direction for the US Navy, but in retrospect, we’d rather be *here* than *there.* The ax has fallen, let the blood letting begin. Hopefully there will still be a Royal Navy after all is said and done.